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   There is nothing a beagle enjoys more than rabbit hunting. The only thing that comes close to that pleasure is to lay on one’s back on a person’s lap and get the belly rubs. Bruiser, Damon’s beagle, has had only limited joy in his life since the weather has been so nasty for a few weeks. He has been limited to occasional belly rubs as nobody wanted to go hunting.

   The weather improved dramatically this weekend. Temperatures got above freezing and the sun was shining. Bruiser was more than ready to go when Damon asked him if he would like to go hunting. He was up and waiting by the side-by-side in a flash. Being an excellent hunting dog does not preclude Bruiser from also being a fine lap dog. When not hunting from the window, Bruiser was helping move Damon’s hand into belly rubbing position as they drove to some prime rabbit ground. 

   Damon let Bruiser out near a brush pile at the edge of a timber. With his nose to the ground and white tip on his tail flagging, the beagle was off, doing what beagles do. Within a couple of minutes, Bruiser started baying, letting Damon know he was hot on the trail of a rabbit. Damon moved over to the area where Bruiser was signaling and waited. Before long, the rabbit ran by followed in a minute or two by the excited beagle. The rabbit will generally continue to circle in the same area until the dog or the rabbit gets tired of it. If rabbit season were open and a person wanted a rabbit, it could be shot at any one of the trips by. We have more fun not shooting the rabbit and watching the dog hunt. Over the years, many more rabbits have been chased than harvested. We like to build up a population of rabbits, so the dogs have something to hunt, and we do not have to walk too far to watch the sport. 

   Damon brought Bruiser to our place and set him loose near the timber coming down the driveway. This is a perpetually good hunting area. Rabbits will circle through the woods, up the hill, cross the driveway, go around the little shed, and cross back over the driveway to complete the loop. The beagle is generally about a half of a loop behind the rabbit. We can sit on the porch and watch the hunt evolve, being able to see either the rabbit or the dog most of the time. After ten or fifteen loops around the same area, either the rabbit or the dog will get bored with the game. When that happens, the rabbit takes a break under the little shed and Bruiser comes to the porch for a drink and to find someone that wants to scratch his belly.               

   Rabbit hunting has evolved into a sport that can be enjoyed by the whole group, including the rabbit. They seem to enjoy leading the beagles astray while getting a bit of exercise. We enjoy watching and listening to the chase from the porch, and Bruiser gets to perform his favorite job with the satisfaction of a job well done being followed by his second favorite thing, belly scratches.

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